Do the Big 10 and Pac 10 Need the BCS?

Stephen J. Truog

11/12/2004

One year after a top-ranked <b>USC </b>team was left out of the <b>BCS</b> title game ... an unbeaten <b>Big Ten champion</b>, <font color="#cc0000"><b>Wisconsin</b></font>, could be left out this year.

Would the leagues be better off just going back to the Rose Bowl arrangement?

Looking at the six-year history of the BCS and the nine-year history of the BCS and the Bowl Alliance (the current three BCS bowls and the Rose Bowl), it's clear that the Big Ten leads the way both in performance and in at-large teams selected ... with the SEC and
Pac 10 close behind.

Also, the Pac 10 and Big Ten are unmatched in depth of the league, with each sending eight different teams to BCS/BA bowls ... if Cal makes it this year, that would be nine schools in the past decade for the Pac 10. The Big Ten has sent eight.

Where would they be without us?

Also interesting to note that the two leagues who have never received at-large bids ... and who have the worst records and
least depth, the ACC and Big East, could each be adding a new school to the mix this year if Virginia and West Virginia win out. (Auburn from
the SEC would also be a new school) The ACC has clearly joined the Big Boys by adding two of the three Big East BCS teams and by strengthening
programs in Charlottesville, Raleigh and elsewhere.

On the downside, now that Miamiand FSU aren't in their cushy "one or two games max to sweat" leagues anymore and have to play every week like members of the SEC or Big Ten, those BCS bids aren't so easy anymore. Awww, my heart bleeds.:,)

Anyway, just a little update of the numbers I posted last year ... for some fun and analysis.

Below, the first number is the record in
the BCS era -- the second is the overall mark in BCS and BA/Rose bowls
the last eight years. An (* / nc) indicates a national championship and
an (# / al) indicates an at-large bid -- each of those signs are
followed by their respective bowls.

The Pac 10 and Big Ten have sent the most teams (8 each) to BCS/BA bowls

The Big XII and SEC lead with three national titles, but really each of those are 2.5, as LSU shared last year and Nebraska shared in '97-'98

Ohio State is the only school to receive three at-large bids - Nebraska and Florida have received two apiece

Notre Dame has only been in two
bowls in 9 years (soon to be 2 in 10) -- that's seven years with an
extra at-large berth in the bowls and the Big Ten has received six at-large bids in that era. Thanks, Irish.:)

Looking at the six-year history of the BCS and the nine-year history of the BCS and the Bowl Alliance (the current three BCS bowls and the Rose Bowl), it's clear that the Big Ten leads the way both in performance and in at-large teams selected ... with the SEC and Pac 10 close behind.

Also, the Pac 10 and Big Ten are unmatched in depth of the league, with each sending eight different teams to BCS/BA bowls ... if Cal makes it this year, that would be nine schools in the past decade for the Pac 10. The Big Ten has sent eight.

Also interesting to note that the two leagues who have never received at-large bids ... and who have the worst records and least depth, the ACC and Big East, could each be adding a new school to the mix this year if Virginia and West Virginia win out. (Auburn from the SEC would also be a new school) The ACC has clearly joined the Big Boys by adding two of the three Big East BCS teams and by strengthening programs in Charlottesville, Raleigh and elsewhere.

On the downside, now that and aren't in their cushy \"one or two games max to sweat\" leagues anymore and have to play every week like members of the SEC or Big Ten, those BCS bids aren't so easy anymore. Awww, my heart bleeds.:,)

Anyway, just a little update of the numbers I posted last year ... for some fun and analysis.